User:Joyo650/Isabel of Conches

There is a constant debate about the extent of Female Lordship through the eleventh and twelifth century, but the numerous examples of female lordship shows regencys comparable to that of standard male lords. A good case in point is the lordship of Isabel of Conches. Even contemporary writers like Oderic Vitalis, an Anglo-Norman chronicler, described Isabel as an effective ruler in all aspects of lordship including military engagement. undefinedGoing on to then describe her as a princess loved by all and no braver than the knights she fought alongside. Giving testament to the argument Female lords aren’t as  rare as we thought, and these woman governed kingdoms prospered.

With early medieval rulers acting autonomously, wives acted as adjacent to their husbands as regents. They would do so if an heir was too young or incompetent, holding regency until the heir was of age or just rule within their own rite. If a queen was widowed most of the time she would remarry. The power would then go back the then newlywed King, lone female rule does exist, but usually when it came into play it was a political tactics. Through these political weddings royal lineages would run longer without needing a male heir.

In France the roles of women in power were constrained by their gender’s social roles. Though unlike gerberga of saxony, sister of Otto I and King Louis IV d’outremer of France this was not the case Gerberga and her husband where in a military engagement, with her husband capture some one needed to take the mantel, so before her husband was deposed of in captivity. Using her public influence, she claimed the role of lord and rallied their alliances. King Louis died on the 10th of September 954. With their heir Lothair of France only being in his minority Gerberga took regency to refine her son to a proper successor. Only then giving up up her rule in 959 when her son came of age ,thus being a placeholder for her and her widow's heir. undefined

In this era of medieval French there was a focal point of centralization of the Frankish kingdoms and conforming under one king. The individual city like states were ruled by the lord or duke of the region, after conforming to the French king and centralization these lords or dukes would become Noblemen due to the authority change. The de Montfort family where Isabel of Conche is from was one of these families. Isabel being the daughter of Simon de Montfort, was recognized as an adjacent to her husband’s lordship Raoul II of Tosny, so much so being able to take his army up to arms against her sister-in-law Helewise of Everux. Though authority was slowing being taken from French nobility by the eventual King of France, Families like the de Montfort’s and Isabel of Conches were able to retain a high degree of fame and localized power.

Adelaide of sicily was a contemporary of Isabel of conches, Like Isabel Adelaide is talked about in a good manner by Orderic Vitalis, with him saying “a most prudent woman, exercised the cares of the government and ruled over the country”. Other sources solidify this claim by addressing the prosperity in Sicily and Calabria. Immediately after her coronation, rebellions broke out against her, Orderic Vitalis gives us recount saying Adelaide suppressed these rebellions, not only using force, but necessary rigor to dispel any chance of future insurgency. Not only for her rule but for her kingdom’s safety, it is some of this decision making as a ruler that gifted her the reputation and descriptions she has now.

Other instances throughout the eighth through twelfth centuries, of female sovereignty are in Byzantium. Irene of Athens, in power 797-802 after gouging out her sons eyes she usurped the throne as sole empress of Byzantium, in 802 she was conspired against and exiled to Lesbos spending the rest of her life which lasted only a year later, looming. Another Byzantine female Empress isn't seen until two hundred years later. Sister empresses Zoe Porphyrogenita and Theodora Porphyrogenita. Due to internal family affairs and often shifts in power in the year 1042, after a peoples revolt against the emperor at the time Michael V Kalaphates, Zoe and Theodora were placed in dual rule with Zoe the Elder Empress retaining more authority than her sister. Not much is recorded but there is a coin featuring the both of them, though small it shows economic significance. This reign would be short lived, Zoe sought strength through marriage, and wedded Constantine Monomachos a member of a powerful Byzantine family.